Ever wonder how pumpkins grow to be near a half ton?

I can remember just 15 years ago when a pumpkin weighed 600-700 pounds, it was near a world record. Today that world record is approaching 1600 pounds. Wow!

First of all, if you want a true giant pumpkin, you have to plant seeds from a true giant. Nowadays, growers of giant pumpkins will plant seeds that come from a cross between pumpkins and squash. That's why those giant pumpkins don't have that typical pumpkin shape. Sure you can go out a purchase a package of Atlantic Giant pumpkin seeds, but the likelihood of getting one over 500 pounds is rare. They have gone from 600 to 1600 pound pumpkins by cross breeding or saving seeds from giant pumpkins. Then there is fertilizer and more fertilizer. You have to not only fertilize where the original plant was set but everywhere the vine is rooted. Not only that, but foliar feeding the leaves is also a common practice. You actually end up feeding one single pumpkin vine with about 6-8 times the recommended amount of fertilizer. That vine is usually about 35 feet long, has 2 foot wide leaves and has only one pumpkin on its vine.

Growing a giant pumpkin is a science and a challenge and addiction to many growers.